Birkheads Secret Gardens: Tours & Visits

Birkheads Secret Garden is a rural cottage garden with a wow factor, with something of interest around every corner.

Situated in the triangle between the Gateshead Angel, Tanfield Steam Railway and the Beamish Open Air Museum, the cottage overlooks long vistas, five ponds, formal gardens and more informal planting. There are colour themed mixed borders with circles and curves linking individual gardens as you pass by the Bowes Railway garden, Woodland area, the Bee & Butterfly Slate Circle, a No Dig Border, Orchard, Wildflower Meadow, a Japanese style Meditation Garden, the Gnome Dome, Beach garden & Winter Garden. Over our Heritage Open Days festival dates, you can explore these gardens yourself or join a bookable walking tour.

There's a popular coffee shop serving light lunches and sweet treats - our Bacon and sausage Butties are favourites with local walkers and cycling groups using the old Bowes Railway path travelling west from So. Shields to Dipton Overlooking the plant sales area in the old walled garden, there's covered outdoor seating to enjoy the birds and wildlife with a rare tranquil coffee. Enthusiastic local visitors tell us that this is their 'Happy Place'.

This attraction started with a bare field, aiming to redress the balance of nature, especially for the huge list of birds that had disappeared during mining, without it ''costing the earth" environmentally, alongside a hardy plant nursery & guess what? It worked!

Timings & Tours

Friday 06 September:

1100-1500. Tour: 1000 | Fully booked

Saturday 07 September:

1100-1500. Tour: 1000

Sunday 08 September:

1100-1500. Tour: 1000

Thursday 12 September:

1100-1500. Tour: 1000

Friday 13 September:

1100-1500. Tour: 1000

Saturday 14 September:

1100-1500. Tour: 1000

Sunday 15 September:

1100-1500. Tour: 1000

Location & directions

Birkheads Secret Gardens, Birkheads Lane, Sunniside, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, NE165EL

Directions:

From A1m (N) Take - A693 From A1m (S) -A692 FROM A1m (S) Follow Brown Tourist Signs from A692 in Sunniside, left onto A6076 at Potters Wheel pub. Traffic lights. Past Tanfield Railway & first left turn into Birkheads Lane. One mile to our car park entrance on your left. . FROM A1m (N) Take A693 to A6076 between Stanley & Sunniside Gateshead. After passing the Causey Arch pub prepare to turn right into Birkheads Lane on brow of the hill at the Brown Tourist Sign. Our carpark entrance is one mile on your left. Please car share whenever possible PUBLIC TRANSPORT The Bowes Cycle Path is a 20 minute scenic walk to Birkheads Cottages from the Tanfield Railway bus stop. The Secret Gardens are 50 metres downhill, enter through the white gate at the last cottage. ///amending.absent.workloads

Contact on day:

Mike Liddle

Telephone number:

+447443476824

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking required

Booking conditions:

Please pre-book for a tour via email at anytime or phone (between the hours 0900 and 1100). No need to book if tour isn't required. Drop in time is 11am-2pm on days specified.

Booking contact name:

Christine Liddle

Booking telephone number:

+447778447920

Booking email:

[email protected]

Booking opens:

02 Sep 2024 09:00 AM

Booking closes:

15 Sep 2024 11:00 AM

Accessibility details

Access is from the carpark on a slight incline with gravel paths so sorry but the site is unsuitable for scooters & some wheelchairs Uneven grass & surfaces throughout Steps in some gardens Ponds- children must be accompanied No unsupervised children under 18yrs.. Sensible Footwear recommended * We regularly release rescued Hedgehogs into the gardens to this end Strictly No Picnics & single dogs on short leads only please.*

Additional information

Additional free parking opposite Tanfield Steam Railway 20 minute scenic walk along the Bowes Cycle Path. Where the footpath meets the road turn right 40metres downhill past Birkheads Cottages. Enter White Gated Drive of No 5 What three words? ///amending.absent.workloads

Max no of people per tour:

12

Est. tour duration:

0 hour(s) 45 minute(s)

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